How many households in Nampula get social assistance?

The Basic Social Subsidy Programme (PSSB), a monthly cash transfer for poor households, served 142,829 beneficiary households in Nampula in 2025 (68% of them in its older-people group), 20 per 1,000 residents, 5th highest of the 11 provinces (Mozambique: 21).

Nampula: population, spending, jobs, schools, health, water and electricity

Nampula is a province of Mozambique, the largest of 11 by population. Mozambique's National Statistics Institute (INE) projects the population of Nampula at about 6,984,000 for 2025 (3,406,000 men and 3,578,000 women), 20.5% of Mozambique's 34.09 million; the largest of the 11 provinces. The figure is a projection from the 2017 census, the last one held.

Population (INE projection)

6,984,000

2025

Household spending per person per month (current meticais)

1,362 meticais

2022

Unemployment rate (age 15+)

16.5%

2022

Households lit by grid electricity

25.8%

2022

Households using a safe drinking water source

38.0%

2022

Illiteracy rate

51.8%

2022

Under-five deaths per 1,000 live births (IDS 2022-23)

2022-23

Children under 5 stunted

47%

2022-23

In depth

Economy, jobs and prices in Nampula: Households in Nampula spent an average of 1,362 meticais per person per month in 2022 (6,197 meticais per household), according to the INE Household Budget Survey (IOF 2022); 2nd lowest of the 11 provinces (Mozambique: 1,893 meticais per person).
Health in Nampula: The 2022-23 Demographic and Health Survey measured 72 deaths before age five for every 1,000 babies born in Nampula, and 43 before their first birthday; 4th highest of the 11 provinces for under-five deaths (Mozambique: 60 and 39).
Education in Nampula: 51.8% of adults in Nampula could not read or write in 2022 (65.4% of women and 37.5% of men), 2nd highest of the 11 provinces (Mozambique: 38.3%); in 2019/20 the rate was 52.4%.

How fast is Nampula's population growing?

The projections add about 170,000 people to Nampula between 2024 and 2025, growth of 2.5% in a year (Mozambique: 2.5%).

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estatistica (INE), Mozambique · saved copy

How densely populated is Nampula?

Nampula covers 81,606 square kilometres, giving 84 people per square kilometre in 2025, 3rd most densely populated of the 11 provinces (Mozambique: 42).

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estatistica (INE), Mozambique · saved copy

How many children do women in Nampula have?

Women in Nampula have 5.8 children each on average, according to the 2022-23 Demographic and Health Survey (IDS), 3rd highest of the 11 provinces (Mozambique: 4.9).

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estatistica (INE) and Ministry of Health (with ICF, The DHS Program) · saved copy

How many families in Nampula go hungry?

17.1% of households in Nampula usually ate only one meal a day or none in 2022, 2nd highest of the 11 provinces; 21.5% ate three or more (Mozambique: 12.4% and 30.1%).

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estatistica (INE), Mozambique · saved copy

Do families in Nampula have enough food?

56.4% of households in Nampula said the food they ate in the last month was less than adequate in 2022, 3rd highest of the 11 provinces (Mozambique: 50.2%; in 2019/20 74.6% in Nampula).

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estatistica (INE), Mozambique · saved copy

How common is violence against women in Nampula?

14% of women aged 15 to 49 in Nampula had suffered physical violence in the 12 months before the 2022-23 survey and 1% sexual violence; 5th lowest of the 11 provinces for physical violence (Mozambique: 15% and 4%).

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estatistica (INE) and Ministry of Health (with ICF, The DHS Program) · saved copy

How provinces are governed in Mozambique

Provinces (10 + Maputo City). Provincial assembly elected by proportional representation; since 2019 the governor is the head of the winning list. A Secretary of State appointed by the President represents central government. Decentralised provincial services; central ministries keep their own provincial offices.

Every tier of government in Mozambique

Other provinces of Mozambique

Zambezia 6,314,000
Tete 3,368,000
Cabo Delgado 2,900,000
Sofala 2,828,000
Maputo Province 2,662,000
Manica 2,429,000
Niassa 2,349,000
Inhambane 1,616,000
Gaza 1,500,000
Maputo City 1,140,000

Up a level: Mozambique · government and power in Mozambique · cities

Sources

Instituto Nacional de Estatistica (INE) and Ministry of Health (with ICF, The DHS Program): Mocambique Inquerito Demografico e de Saude 2022-23, Relatorio Resumo: "Principais indicadores por provincia" (page 23), read 27 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 01467bf8c29b…)
Instituto Nacional de Estatistica (INE), Mozambique: Relatorio Final do Inquerito sobre Orcamento Familiar - IOF 2022 (Household Budget Survey 2022 final report): Quadros 4.2, 4.11, 6.3, 6.8, 7.5, 7.6, 7.9, 8.2, 11.2, 12.1, 12.2, read 27 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 70a1687d340c…)
Instituto Nacional de Estatistica (INE), Mozambique: Anuario Estatistico 2025 (Statistical Yearbook 2025): Quadros 2.1.1, 2.2.2, 2.2.4, 2.3.6, 2.3.16, 2.4.1, 5.1.6 and 5.6.1 by province, read 27 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 25e1129ec762…)
Instituto Nacional de Estatistica (INE), Mozambique: Anuario Estatistico 2024 (Statistical Yearbook 2024): Quadro 2.1.1, population by province, 2024, read 27 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 afd1afb283cd…)

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